MIDLAND Tories welcomed the election of David Cameron as their party's new leader today.

Andrew Mitchell (Sutton Coldfield), who was campaign manager for rival candidate David Davis, said: "It has been a good-humoured contest and now the party will unite behind the winner."

Mr Cameron promised radical change for the Conservative Party after trouncing Mr Davis by a margin of more than two to one, gathering 134,446 votes to 64,398.

The 39-year-old former shadow education secretary said: "We need to change the way we think. It's not enough just to talk about tackling problems in our inner cites, we have to have all of the right ideas for turning those communities around."

The message was being reinforced when 330,000 Conservative newsletters with the headline "Everyone's Invited" were distributed at rail stations across the country today, including Birmingham New Street.

Mr Cameron, who launched the national phase of his leadership campaign in Birmingham, will focus on attempts to win back seats in inner-city areas such as the West Midlands conurbation.

Julie Kirkbride (Bromsgrove) said: "I think he will attract people who haven't been our natural supporters in the last decade, particularly women and young people, and those are the groups we need to win back."

Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) said: "His agenda will change the direction of the Conservative Party as it looks towards the future rather than dwelling in the past."

Mr Cameron is expected to announce his shadow cabinet by the end of the week.

Mr Mitchell, the current shadow international development secretary, and Caroline Spelman (Meriden), shadow local government secretary, could continue to play key roles.

* Mr Cameron used a Midland company to help him to victory in his campaign. Throughout the 13-week battle for Tory leadership, Cameron used Redditch -based company FASTSMS.co.uk to send text messages out to MPs, journalists and supporters to give them up-to-the-minute information on briefings, television appearances and statements.

Mr Cameron said it was the best way to show how in touch the Conservative Party was with 21st century technology as he attempted to rid the group of its ageing image.

Daniel Ritterband, Mr Cameron's campaign communications manager, said: "People expect us to be efficient communicators so it was vital that we used the best possible tools.

"The alternatives were e-mail, pager or phone, all of which take time."